Gaming Code of Conduct

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Offline Bixby

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Gaming Code of Conduct
Version 6.1

This Code of Conduct is a simple prescription for common sense behaviours. The thing is, some people have not been coached in these behaviours, so, well, some of these are not as common as we would hope. No problem, that is why we have outlined this concise set of principles. No, we do not look at people as children that need to be coddled and talked down to; sometimes it is just a good idea to get some expectations outlined for everybody's benefit. Please read this with an open mind. If you already abide by these things; cool.


----------About the People----------
01  RESPECT
Games provide an opportunity for people to gather. It is important to note that people are the focus and games are just a catalyst for bringing people together. Treat everyone at the table with courtesy and respect. It goes a long way to building a community of friends. Be approachable and invite people to join you for your game. This hobby attracts a lot of introverts and those initial social barriers are easy to overcome with a smile, a kind gesture, and a few welcoming words. If the event has name tags, make sure you wear yours. If the event does not have name tags, introduce yourself to others. Friendship starts with a name.

02  NO -ISMS
Absolutely no racist, sexist, misogynistic, homophobic, transphobic, xenophobic comments or jokes. Seriously. They are not funny and are not welcome. Gatherings need to be safe and welcoming experiences for all who show up.

----------About the Venue----------
03  CLEANUP
It may sound a bit trivial, but please put your garbage in the garbage can, your recyclables in the recycle bin, and your dishes in the sink. For those of us who host a lot of events it can get onerous if we have to clean up after you all of the time. A little effort goes a long way and makes hosting events much more enjoyable for the venue providers.

04  SMOKING
If you are a smoker, make sure your cigarette butts do not wind up on the lawn. There are smoking cans outside to dispose of your cigarette butts, or better yet, the fire pit. If you are not sure where the smoking cans are, please ask the host.


05  PARKING
Make sure you understand the decorum around parking. Do not block the driveways of any of the neighbours. Long after you are gone, the host still has to maintain healthy respectful relationships with their neighbours.

06  PETS
If the venue you are attending has a pet, realize that they are part of the family. They are afforded all of the courtesies and privileges of being part of the family. If you have an aversion to animals or an allergy, please ask the host to deal with their pets. Poor treatment of household pets will not be tolerated.


----------About Yourself----------
07  ALCOHOL/CANNABIS
There is nothing wrong with enjoying an adult beverage or two / cannabis while gaming, but make sure not to over indulge in an attempt to recapture the glory days of your frat house partying. Absolutely know your legal and moral limits for driving so as not to be impaired. Violate the no driving while impaired rule and you are not invited back.

08  HYGIENE
Okay. This is awkward. How to even bring this up. You may not notice your man-musk smell or perhaps you do and find it endearing; others do not. Invest in deodorant and use it. The same goes for halitosis. If you suffer from bad breathe; please do not make other people suffer. Be self aware about your odorous footprint people. That is all.

09  HAND SANITIZER
Maybe it is because Kathy and I worked in health care, but watching people cough or sneeze into their hands then handle game pieces kind grosses us out. Firstly, cough or sneeze into the crook of your elbow or even into the neck of your shirt... just not into your hands. If you do cough or sneeze into your hands, please use the supplied hand sanitizer to neutralize your germs and bacteria. Seriously, use it. We have bottles all over the house. How about getting in touch with your inner Howie Mandel. We want to normalize using hand sanitizer and asking others to use it as well. It is amazing how many times people catch a colds or flu when attending game conventions. Hand sanitizer is an easy fix to catching CON-Crud.

10  SNACK BOWLS
This happens more than you think. An attendee grabs a snack bowl and then casually holds the snack bowl under their chin as they eat the snacks. I am not saying that all of the crumbs and bits that fall from your mouth back into the snack bowl is icky or anything, but wait, yea, it really is. Please just pour a few chips out of the bag or bowl, and eat them from your hand, or better yet, use one of the small snack plates we have set out. Having your DNA in the snack bowl might be exciting for a CSI team; it is completely out of place for a game night.

11  LANGUAGE
Careful with your language. Some of our events are family friendly. Mild cursing is sometimes a hallmark of engaging game experience, but be aware there may be minors present so keep your exclamations localized and under control.

12  ETIQUETTE OF SPECTATING
If you are not playing a game, please be respectful of the people who are. If you are trying to chat up the people at the table about the latest development with <insert sports team name here>, it is often disruptive to the game and the people playing it. Your news can wait; it really can. Let them play their game and chat later.

13  PUNCTUALITY
One of the easiest things to do is to show up on time. If you are a person who is chronically late, you are basically being very disrespectful to everyone else who has to waste their time waiting for you. You are broadcasting to everyone that their time is not important and the party wont start until you show up. If you value that someone is running a game event and committing their time to you, the least you can do is commit to being on time. If you are chronically late, you just may find yourself uninvited from attending things, cause obviously, you really have more important things to do and more important places to be.

----------About the Game----------
14  LEARNING THE GAME
If you learning a game you already know, please do not constantly interrupt the game teacher. It is their show. If they've overlooked something, and it becomes clear that they've moved on and are not just going to come back to it, you can politely remind them, "remember the rule about ...." and allow them to explain it. Please don't jump in with a lot of your own commentary unless the game explainer invites that interaction; it is disruptive to those trying to learn the game. One voice at the table rather than a chorus of comments makes it much easier for a new player to learn a game. Additionally, if you are learning a game you don't already know, please be attentive to the rules and listen. If you have questions that seem like the kind of questions the game teacher will get to in due course, try to hold them. Also, show your appreciation and respect to those who teach games; it is often times a thankless job.

15  COACHING
It can be very intimidating for a new player to learn a game. If you see people who are new to a game and they ask for advice about what to do, please offer your best advice. Also, when playing a game, if you realize they have made a grievous blunder, please ask: "Are you sure?". A player's initial experience to a game should be a positive experience. That is how we instill a desire for them to play it again and that goes a long way to making the community sustainable. At the other end of the spectrum, we should not play their game for them. Get them started and on their way and then take a step back and allow them to explore the game and the decisions they can make.

16  HONEST & TRANSPARENT PLAY
Please perform your actions in the open. Don't just drop a bunch of coins into the supply and make your purchase. Count out the money openly and transparently, fan the cards you are turning in. Transparency breeds trust. I will be transparent with all of my actions as I assume that you'd like to be able to see for yourself that my actions are legit. I think it's totally reasonable for you to want to see this -- we all make mistakes. I know I have accidentally "cheated" many times and I definitely want to get caught if I do! Also, having all of the players verbalize their actions during game play is good form and helps others understand what is going on in the game if they are learning.

17  CAN'T ERASE THE PAST
If we realize a rules error was made, that benefited player X or hurt me, I will vote that we just let it stand. It can be very difficult, and often impossible, to reconstruct what the game state "should have been". Better to just move on, even if "it's not fair." If we realize a rules error that helped me, I will apologize and volunteer some penalty that seems appropriate. We can agree on a penalty, be it money, points, or whatever, and move on. Finally, if a rules error hurt a particular player, we can volunteer some simple compensation to that player and move on. It may be the case that we can all agree to continue to play with this "variant" rule and play it correctly next time.

18  GAME RULES AND EXCEPTIONS
Recognize when playing games certain situations will arise that are not explicitly covered in the rules. After a brief discussion at the table exploring how to make a ruling, support whatever rules decision the game owner / teacher comes up with. It is important to get on with the game play and further discussion and debate can take place after the game has been completed.


19  GREASY FOOD
Please don't eat foods that make your fingers messy while playing games. Board games can be expensive and in some cases, a dear possession. Your "cheesy" prints may not qualify as adding value to a prized possession. Additionally, keep beverages off of gaming tables. Quite often there are TV trays that are perfect for placing beverages with the added benefit of mitigating the damage to a game from an accident.

20  WINNING & LOSING
If you decide that you no longer have any chance of winning, play for style points. I mean, for place, or for score. Play the game out and continue to explore the mechanics of play or another strategy choice. If you decide to knock me out and crown player X the winner just for the fun of it... I will be disappointed, but that is your choice. As Reiner Knizia allegedly said, "the goal is to win, but it's the goal that is important, not the winning." Whether you actually won or not is irrelevant except that it provides feedback about whether your choices were good ones or not. The feedback helps you improve your game play, which is one of the finest pleasures of gaming. Be a gracious winner; be a gracious loser. In the end, long after the score is forgotten, what will be remembered is how you conducted yourself.

21  ATTITUDE
Be open to trying new games and playing what the organizers and other players are proposing. Understand some people may not be as enthusiastic about your favorite game in the whole world. If the game being proposed is not one you enjoy, either resolve to try it and be positive, or excuse yourself from playing the game. Recognize that your attitude can have an effect on the other players and their enjoyment of the game. Try not to pass judgment on a game until it's complete. This might not be the time for you to expound on all the reasons you think the game sucks. Attitude is everything, you have an opportunity to express your thoughts on boardgamegeek.com with the game ratings and comments.

22  ANALYSIS PARALYSIS
Something that often kills the enjoyment of a game is if a player consistently takes longer than everyone else at the table to decide their move. Our lives do not depend on the outcome, and it is not like there is $100,000 prize for winning. It is better to make a sub optimal move and consider it a lesson learned than to hold everyone up. It is okay if occasionally you say, "oh my, I'm going to need a minute to think about this one" when you hit a really interesting puzzle, but that's the exception, not the norm. If you need to think about your turn, please spend the time and effort considering your options during other player's turns so you are ready to play on your turn. Making a 1 hour game last for 3 hours is just not cool, okay.

23  NO WHINING
There is a saying that lions attack the slow gazelle. Quite often in board games, the slow gazelle is the player that whines about every little setback or player action that hurts their position. Many board games feature competition and direct player interaction; you should never take what happens in a game personally or feel hurt by it. If these things trouble you, you should probably stick to playing co-operative games. Whining at the game table is likely to make you a bigger target and, you know, actually give you something to whine about. Accept setbacks with dignity. Wine is okay; whine is not.

24  CELL PHONES
Please shut your cell phone off. The constant "ding" of direct messages or email does not prove you are popular; it proves you are annoying. Constant texting and cell phone use at the game table is bad form and is distracting. Refrain from your cell phone addiction for the scant time we are gathered to play a game. It is okay to take pictures or share this awesome hobby on social media, as long as it is quick and does not delay the game.

25  FINISH WHAT YOU START
Always finish the games you start. Recognize that quitting in the middle of a game can be quite disruptive and change the course of a game significantly. Additionally, when the game is done, assist with the clean up by helping the game owner / teacher pack up the game.

Most importantly, commit to having fun. Games are a leisure activity and should be engaged in with a sense of fun and adventure. Be committed to the fun and social nature of gaming. Your passion and conduct should be contagious enough that it encourages this behavior in others. Be an ambassador to this rewarding and entertaining hobby; be a community builder!
« Last Edit: August 25, 2022, 01:16:18 PM by Bixby »
  • Regina / Saskatchewan / Canada


Offline Bixby

  • Grand Poobah
  • Administrator
  • Forum Elite
  • *****
    • Posts: 5134
  • Guinness is Goodness
    • Bixby
  • BGA Name: BixbyCanada
  • BGG ID: Bixby
  • Discord: BixbyCanada#2507
  • UDISC ID: BixbyCanada
  • Pronouns: He/Him
Audit Log

Version 6.1 - 2022-08-25
Changed wording in section 7 to include Cannabis as well as Alcohol.
  • Regina / Saskatchewan / Canada


 

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